Hitch Hiker

[greatwhite]

See this little guy hitch hiking but going the wrong direction for me, I drove about 500 ft passed him and then backed up and he still was there.

This is only the third time I have ever seen a Pheasant in 27 years of living here.

image000001.jpg

[Birdbuff]

They are a rarity in my area too. I see the odd one every so often, not sure if it’s pen raised or wild.

[hunter06]

If we introduced a farm bill with funds for CRP we probably could soon have a decent population of wild birds. Especially in places like to Ottawa Valley

[longpointer]

I have seen them too down by my farm but I think they escaped from a game farm or may have survived the winter from the Pheasant Release/Hunt Program now managed by The Long Point Fish & Game Club on behalf of Norfolk County. I recently seen a Male bird with 3 Hens, so who knows ? It would be nice if Mother Nature gives us mild winters as that would be critical to them surviving in the wild.

[sabmgb]

beautiful bird. I see them once in awhile in my area, but very few. I don't think there is enough cover around our area to support them and we have a high coyote population that would take care of them I'm sure.

[FISH-ON]

Gorgeous bird

[trimmer21]

In my area 25 years ago (Regional Municipality of Clarington) ,they were a common sight. With very high Coyote and Fox popu
lations, residential expansion and new highways being built almost everywhere we look,Pheasant predation is high and habitat has been greatly diminished. It's sad,but,a sign of the times.

[werner.reiche]

If we introduced a farm bill with funds for CRP we probably could soon have a decent population of wild birds. Especially in places like to Ottawa Valley

There are quite a few up the valley - escapes that survive the winter. But you won't be able to get a wild population going. When the hawks find them, they hang around until they get the last bird in the flock. Out in the Dakotas where pheasant hunting is serious business, they don't put up with the hawks.

[greatwhite]

Werner you know my area. I have been here for 30 years and have seen only 3. Back in NS their pests. The land seems the same why are there none here. I was told about 50 years ago they were around and disappeared over time

There are quite a few up the valley - escapes that survive the winter. But you won't be able to get a wild population going. When the hawks find them, they hang around until they get the last bird in the flock. Out in the Dakotas where pheasant hunting is serious business, they don't put up with the hawks.

[werner.reiche]

Werner you know my area. I have been here for 30 years and have seen only 3. Back in NS their pests. The land seems the same why are there none here. I was told about 50 years ago they were around and disappeared over time

Not sure about eastern ontario (Russell, Winchester) but upper valley had none 50 years ago and the only ones there now are escapes. They may survive a year or two in the wild and even hatch out broods. I know one flock that went from 4 over-winter escapes to over 30 - but the following November/December where wiped out by predation.

There are permanent flocks of huns in eastern Ontario - we used to see them on the backroads north of winchester almost every time we drove through there. The upper valley also had resident huns in the osceola/cobden area - but I haven't seen any there for over 20 years.